This week has been an interesting week. I just finished reading Compendium for the Civic Economy – which shows what 25 ideas and communities can do to transform their local economies and I also watched a couple of videos from D11 conference including the one with Elon Musk. The Compendium show cases projects solving problems within communities – local problems. Some of the case studies went on to have a greater impact and be used on a wider scale like Jayride – rideshare program that expanded from NZ to Australia, Ireland and the UK. The lesson from the book was that small ideas and people can have greater wider impact. This is not a new lesson but one we often forget when trying to solve a problem.
Elon Musk is someone who has big ideas (electric cars, space travel and internet) but what struck a cord and seemed more interesting to me was the revelation that their are too many talented and high-educated people spending time on small ideas. I’m not talking about community ideas or social entrepreneurship, its more that there seems to be a large number of people spending time to build apps,or social media websites/networks to go on an IPO or be acquired. They only have one aim – to make money; I think this is why there is growing number of failing startups. The idea is too small or its a slight twist on previous idea and lacks the passion and conviction to make the idea something big enough to change an industry or change the world. It seems as though there are too many MBA’s, PHd’s and talented people wasting time on ideas that will eventuate to little more than a blip in time. The impact of their app or website will be small, especially if its another networking or marketing tool.
There is a need for small and  big ideas – they may not eventuate but dreaming big is what pushes communities and the world forward whether your living in a village dreaming of education or a multi-billionaire who wants to change intercity travel with a ‘hyperloop’. We all have dreams but the key is to dream bigger than ourselves.
Interesting Things I read this week
We All Spend Too Much Time On Small Ideas. Let’s Follow Elon Musk – Loic Le meur – Linkedin
One of the posts I read this week that inspired this post about dreaming big.
The Risk Not Taken – Andy Dunn – Medium
Andy talks about how it is better to take the risk and go for it, than play it safe.
Why Gary Vaynerchuk’s New Social Media Strategy Should Change The Way You Do Business. – Dorie Clark – Forbes
Gary Vaynerchuk is having someone follow him to write down his ideas. This caused a bit of a “storm in a teacup” as people thought it was 24/7 but in fact its only during the day or a wrap up at the end of the day. I think the noise about this lost the essence of the idea – recording ideas whether big or small. We have all been there, we have a great idea on the bus, in the car or during a meeting but we forget to write it down. Having someone to record ideas is a little extreme but I think that creating a habit of idea recording is good idea – so carry a notebook or your phone and take down those ideas – big or small and recap at the end of the day to see which idea reaches out to you for further development.
Why Conservatives Hate Citi Bike So Much, in One Venn Diagram | New York Magazine
I am amazed at the backlash and rise of noise about Citibikes. Mostly coming from the conservatives who own the media outlets so they’ve been giving Citibike a serve in mainstream media including WSJ’s Dorothy Rabinowitz. I thought this diagram was interesting and funny. Also watch John Stewarts Daily Show take on Citibike (NSFW)